Okay okay, we'll stop now with the Queen B references in this one.
On a more serious note, relationships are hard and when mental illness is involved it can be even harder, though not impossible.
With a few tips and tricks and love along with understanding at it's core, dating with a mental illness can become that much more simpler. When that happens, then together you both can make love last for years and years to come.
Be Flexible
Oh boy, oh boy. There's a reason why I put this as number one. In a relationship with someone with a mental illness, things may not always pan out exactly like you dreamed. Even "normal" relationships are not perfect anyways and our kinds of relationships are no different. Our fight or flight responses may be different and look like arguments and constant breaking up (speaking from experience *cough* *cough*). The remedy for this is flexibility. The understanding of the true goal: love. When there's love there, you do things. You seek support and do alternative options to make it work. And when it doesn't you try something else again. Understand change is the constant.
Get Educated
With mental illness being such a hot item topic these days, there is a wealth of knowledge everywhere: Google, Instagram, YouTube, and Reddit to name a few. Organizations centered solely around specific illnesses or even general ones like NAMI, National Alliance for Mental Illness, share resources like newsletters, have conferences and even peer-to-peer support groups. You can also check your insurance provider as well to find a lot of great free information. It can't hurt to know more in this case, it can only help. Those with mental illnesses usually seek empathy for what they are going through. We feel so alone and having a partner who can understand our wants and needs will end up being the true keeper.
Find your support
Let's be real. People are fickle and those with diagnosed mood disorders are even more fickle. I hate to say it, as that person myself. Happy one day and angry the next. Find a support system outside of the relationship! This goes for both parties.
There will be those hard days, that's inevitable. However you can lessen the blow by having people you both trust be there for you during those hard times when it feels like your partner is not there or even somewhere like the hospital.
Maybe you need the fun friend to distract you, or the "I'll be there anytime" friend to talk to. Either way get you some of those. Trust me, it will be a relationship saver.
Dating someone with a mental illness has it's ups and downs...
but then again, what relationship doesn't?
Like any relationship, you'll have challenges and it will be up to you if you want to fall flat or face these with grace.
Hang in there. You got this.